Tonsil cancer radiotherapy

Hello Team

So sorry you’ve all had your struggles. I was about to celebrate twenty years clear of breast cancer when I was diagnosed.....

I've just had my cancerous tonsil removed but whilst looks contained there is not room for 5mm clearance margin and it was at the top of my tonsil. No results yet but scans for spread looked clear at time of surgery although unreported. 

I have two two teenage children in the midst of exams  and have not told them yet. Am waiting for more information but they are my greatest concern. 

I also wondered how small the radiotherapy field can be or is or is it a blanket dose to entire left side of neck even if nodes not involved? Is chemo likely? 

 

thank you

  • Hi as Maria says the radiotherapy doesn’t hurt at the time ,the journey to and from hospital takes up the time. The after effed to start around week 3 of treatment gently to start with then gradually build up .

    ask at your m d t meeting for tumour size and any spread and are you h p v 16+ which makes a difference to treatment .

    Try and keep off dr google so much bad and miss leading info it scare you. Like my oncolgist says in 5 mins on dr google even he could self diagnose himself dead . Keep on here recognised blogs and macmillima have a community web site .

    keep in touch private message me if you need anything have accepted your friend request .easy for me  to say I know but try and keep calm ,one cry a day is allowed. .

    positive mental attitude git me through it .

    Hazel xx

  • Hi Hazel no problem you have been lovely , oh bless you weather awful here lol but sometimes nice to be home , take care gonna have nice afternoon kip now lol 

    maria xxxx

  • Just had mine quick 20 min power nap sees me through it yes deffo ready fir real life here’s great but we live a fantasy life it’s nit real. Lol xx

  • Hi Cornwall Mum , sorry to hear you are joining this club , you will find some great advice and encouragement from this forum , being told you have cancer is like being hit with a sledgehammer ! I was diagnosed in April , 6 weeks of radiotherapy from mid May to the end of June with 2 days of chemo . I found the radiotherapy and Chemo ok , you don't feel a thing , the skin to my neck became red and sore but has now healed and is a normal colour ! The side effects post treatment for me was the hardest period. I know exactly how you are feeling at the moment , but you will get through this !!
    The only good thing about this type of cancer is the high cure rate which is a real positive to hang on to. I got the all clear on the 2nd of October , a date now etched in my mind for ever .Dont hesitate to ask any questions on here as you will get sound advice which I found invaluable . Good luck , everything will be fine even if it doesn't feel like that for you at the moment . 
     

    Pete

  • Oh god wish I could just have a power nap but I can't. , never got to sleep bloody dog wouldn't stop pestering me lol , I'm not sleeping at night that's the trouble so I'm bloody knackared all the time , hoping as I've not had any sleep today I might sleep tonight. , yea that's the trouble it's not real life is it be nice if it was haha cxxx

  • Took me months to have a full nights sleep at least 7 months or so n whatbwith water for dart mouth am uo for loo some nights although this trip I’ve done a lot of 7 hour sleeps !!!!!!!!! The xyimelts do help with dry mouth 

    fingers x for u tonight H x

  • Yea it's horrible ain't it yea have used them few times keep bloody forgetting lol , thank you I've got everything crossed haha xxx night 

    maria xxx

  • So it's starting to get real ! Had my scan last Thursday and now waiting for results , to say I'm scared is an under statement , I was told on the day that my results will go to my dr and should be available by Monday , dunno if I have to phone to make appointment or what ?? Any one else had that , hope u all doing well xxxx

  • Hi Maria 

    umm I got my results from my oncologist 10 days after the scan. Was it a pet ct scan or a ct scan ? I was uve. My appointment before my scan so maybe ring the hospital. Don’t fret am sure all will be fine. Try and sleep tonight let us know what you hear and good luck am sure once agin all will be ok. how are yiu progressing ?

    Hazel xx

  • Hi hazel was a pet/ct I thought I would have to see consultant but apparently not , bloody horrible this waiting , just hoping all ok my last two cameras down the throat were clear so hoping that's a good sign apart from that not too bad , see dietician couple weeks ago , when I had camara down , they were but concerned about my weight but I've managed to put on 5lb since then so hoping they will take my feeding tube out next time , sitill have some sores on one side of my throat , but apart from that and the gunk and the dry mouth I'm ok lol , how about you hope all ok xxxx